Fuel efficiency improvement of a dual-fuel engine fuelled with Honge oil methyl ester (HOME)–bioethanol and producer gas

Renewable and alternative fuels have numerous advantages compared with fossil fuels as they are renewable and biodegradable and provide food and energy security and foreign exchange savings besides addressing environmental concerns and socio-economic issues (Yaliwal et al. 2013. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, doi:10.1080/19397038.2013.801530. Zhu et al. 2011a, Applied Thermal Engineering 31 (14–15): 2271–2278; Zhu et al. 2011b, Fuel 90: 1743-1750; Banapurmath, Tewari, and Hosmath 2008, Renewable Energy 33: 2007-2018; Banapurmath 2009, “Performance, Combustion and Emission Characteristics of a Single Cylinder Direct Injection CI Engine Operated on Dual Fuel Mode Using Honge Oil and Producer Gas.” PhD thesis, 1–195; Banapurmath et al. 2011, Waste and Biomass Valorization 2: 1–11). In this context, the main objective of the present work is to study methods of biofuel production such as Honge oil methyl ester (HOME) using a conventional transesterification process and bioethanol from the Calliandra calothyrsus shrub using a new pretreatment method known as hydrothermal explosion. Further, experimental investigations were carried out on a single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct-injection stationary diesel engine operating in a dual-fuel mode using HOME, bioethanol and producer gas combinations to determine its performance, combustion and emission characteristics. The performance of the dual-fuel engine was analyzed at optimized engine conditions. HOME-Bioethanol (BE) blends such as HOME+ 5% bioethanol (BE5), HOME+ 10% bioethanol (BE10) and HOME+ 15% bioethanol (BE15) were prepared by adding bioethanol to HOME (on volume basis) in different proportions ranging from 5 to 15% with an increment of 5%. In this present work, the effect of different BE blends on the performance of producer gas fuelled dual fuel engine was studied. Experimental investigation on dual fuel engine using BE5-Producer gas operation resulted in up to 4–9% increased brake thermal efficiency with decreased hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and marginally increased nitric oxide (NOx) emission levels compared to HOME-Producer gas, BE10-producer gas and BE15-producer gas mode of operation. However, it was observed that, the overall performance of BE-producer gas operation was found to be lower compared to diesel-producer gas operation.     

稀酸预处理铜藻制备生物乙醇工艺

选取暖温带海洋生态环境生物修复的首选物种——铜藻(Sargassum horneri)为原料进行生物乙醇的制备,以稀硫酸水解后的还原糖收率为响应值,考察水解温度、液固比、水解时间和w(H₂SO₄)等参数对水解效率的影响. 为优化稀酸水解铜藻预处理的工艺条件,在单因素试验的基础上,利用Box-Benhnken中心组合设计法和响应面分析法,建立稀酸预处理工艺参数的回归模型,并与酶水解及发酵相结合验证了铜藻稀酸预处理效果. 结果表明:①稀酸水解铜藻的最优工艺参数. 水解温度为120 ℃,液固比为20∶1,水解时间为2.00 h,w(H₂SO₄)为4.50%. ②稀酸水解铜藻过程中各影响因素之间存在交互作用,水解时间和w(H₂SO₄)的非线性作用显著. ③对经最佳稀酸预处理工艺处理后的铜藻粉进行酶水解,其还原糖收率为44.05%,是未预处理下的8.14倍,并且后续进行发酵后,乙醇产率达7.80%,是未预处理下的2.00倍. 表明铜藻是一种潜在的生物乙醇原料,稀酸预处理方法对铜藻生物乙醇的制备行之有效.      

耐高温酵母高浓度发酵生产燃料乙醇工艺优化

采用两水平部分因子设计(23Fractional Factorial),选取发酵温度、接种量、初始糖浓度为自变量考察因素,以最终发酵乙醇浓度和9 h生物量浓度为响应值,考察耐高温高浓度酵母的燃料乙醇发酵能力,并对实验数据进行二次模型变异分析(Ahalysis of variance,ANOVA),建立了三元二次方程数学...     

基于提高乙醇产率的常压室温等离子体微藻诱变育种

以普通小球藻FACHB-25为研究对象,利用常压室温等离子体在不同功率条件下对其诱变处理,在功率100W、120W条件下筛选出3株优势藻株,依次编号为S100-7、S120-4、S120-9.其中S120-9藻株培养末期生物量增加明显且多糖产量是原始藻株产量的1.34倍,达到237.98mg/L;S120-4碳水化合物含量占比为37.55%,较原始藻株提高了43.48%.对比了各藻株在光合性能、细胞组分以及细胞形态等方面差异.通过同步糖化发酵（SSF）,碳水化合物含量最高的S120-4藻株乙醇产量达到1.58g/10g藻,但其生物量积累受到限制.考虑生物量积累情况,推算出S120-9藻株单位体积藻液乙醇产量最高达到0.1033g/L.     

Energy balance and global warming potential of corn straw-based bioethanol in China from a life cycle perspective

As the second largest corn producer in this world, China has abundant corn straw resources. The study assessed the energy balance and global warming potential of corn straw-based bioethanol production and utilization in China from a life cycle perspective. The results revealed that bioethanol used as gasoline and diesel blend fuel could reduce global warming potential by 10%–97% and 4%–96%, respectively, as compared to gasoline and diesel for transport. The total global warming potential, net global warming potential, net energy, and Net Energy Ratio per MJ ethanol generated from corn straw-based bioethanol system are estimated to be 0.20 kg CO₂-eq, 0.012 kg CO₂-eq, 0.60 MJ, and 1.87, respectively. By using sensitivity analysis, we found that the collected coefficient and compressing density of straw have a more obvious influence on energy balance; transportation distance has a more obvious influence on global warming potential emission factor. The by-products may be utilized as fertilizer, animal feed, cement replacement, or high-value lignin chemicals, which make a contribution to offsetting 0.28 MJ per MJ ethanol of energy consumption.     

Tolerance of S. cerevisiae and Z. mobilis to inhibitors produced during dilute acid hydrolysis of soybean meal

The objective of this research was to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, furfural, and acetic acid on Saccharomyces cerevisiae (NRRL Y-2233) and Zymomonas mobilis subspecies mobilis (NRRL B-4286) in both detoxified hydrolyzed soybean meal and synthetic YM broth spiked with the three compounds. Soybean meal was hydrolyzed with dilute sulfuric acid (0.0, 0.5, 1.25, and 2.0% wt v^?1) at three temperatures (105, 120, and 135°C) and three durations (15, 30, and 45 min) followed by detoxification with activated carbon. Of all the combinations, only the treatments obtained at 135°C, 2.0% H₂SO₄, and 45 min and the one at 135°C, 1.25% H₂SO₄, and 45 min showed inhibition in the growth of the tested microorganisms. Spiked YM broths showed inhibition for the highest levels of inhibitors, either applied individually or in combination.     

Production of renewable and sustainable fuel from Calliandra calothyrsus and its utilisation in compression ignition engines

Alternative fuels have several advantages compared to fossil fuels as they are renewable, biodegradable, provide energy security, foreign exchange saving as well as help in addressing environmental concerns and socio-economic issues. Therefore, renewable fuels can be used predominantly as a fuel for transportation and for applications in power generation. Shaft power application is a key factor for economic growth and prosperity and depends crucially on the long-term availability of energy from sources that are affordable, accessible and environmentally friendly. In this context, the main objective of the present study was to implement the production of bioethanol from Calliandra calothyrsus, a potential lignocellulosic raw material for the cellulose-to-bioethanol conversion process that can be used as an alternative resource to starch- or sugar-containing feedstock. This study addresses a new pretreatment method known as hydrothermal explosion using C. calothyrsus for ethanol production. The present study also involves experimental investigations on a single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct-injection diesel engine operated with Honge oil methyl ester (biodiesel) and ethanol and its comparison with a neat diesel fuel mode of operation. The results revealed that optimal parameters for bioethanol production from C. calothyrsus were 2% acid concentration (HCl), 100°C temperature and 80 min retention time. For a diesel engine operated with a HOME–bioethanol blend, the experimental results showed a 3–4% decrease in brake thermal efficiency with a 8–10% increase in hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emission levels and a 15–18% decrease in nitric oxide emission levels when compared with a neat diesel fuel mode of operation.     

Advances in the study of directed evolution for cellulases

If cellulose can be effectively hydrolyzed into glucose by cellulase, the production costs of hydrogen, ethanol or other chemicals from cellulosic materials will be greatly decreased, and economically viable production of biohydrogen and bioethanol will become feasible. Cellulose is degraded into glucoses by multi-component enzyme systems. Nowadays cellulases are widely used in brewing, food, bioenergy, fodder, textiles, paper, pharmaceuticals, environmental protection and other industries. However, existing cellulases have several problems that limit their wider applications, including the low turnover number for solid cellulosic materials, and low stability in adapting to various application conditions. For example, high temperature, low pH, and so on. Application of directed evolution technology may be one of the most effective ways for improving the characteristics of cellulases. This paper presents a brief review of the cellulose hydrolysis mechanism by cellulase, advances in cellulases (endoglucanase and β-glucosidase) improvement by directed evolution for several characteristics (for instance, thermal stability, pH adaptability and enzyme activity), limitations of directed evolution for cellulases, and the outlook for directed evolution for cellulase.     

木质纤维素生产燃料乙醇的关键技术研究现状

木质纤维素是自然界广泛存在且廉价的可再生资源.其主要成分纤维索、半纤维素是潜在的燃料乙醇生产原料.虽然由木质纤维素生产燃料乙醇的技术路线已具可行性,但存在着具体工艺环节复杂、生产能耗高等局限,严重阻碍了其规模化生产.目前纤维素燃料乙醇生产主要围绕预处理、酶解、发酵三大关键步骤进行技术攻关,其中预处理的能耗和效率、发酵过程的五碳糖利用等问题成为该工艺的重要制约因素.本文在综述国内外纤维素乙醇生产关键步骤的基础上,着重分析了各种物理、化学和生物预处理的优缺点以及新兴的预处理思路,归纳了各类纤维素乙醇生产菌的特点,包括耐高温和五碳糖的利用,并介绍了当前主要的发酵方式和优化措施,以期为木质纤维素生产乙醇提供新的研究思路.表5参86